Horsebetting.com experts give their three best bets on Celebration Mile day at Goodwood; Saturday, 25 August. Beat The Bank is our NAP on this seven-race card and rates a worthy favourite in the feature Group 2 contest at the Sussex Venue. Later on the card, Maid Up is also worth a wager to land the three-runner Group 3 March Stakes over 1m 6f, while Look Around is solid each-way value in the other Group 3 – the 7f Prestige Stakes. For more on this punts from the Sussex venue, read our 2018 Celebration Mile betting tips preview.Beat The Bank a worthy favourite for Celebration successTrainer Andrew Balding has his team in fine fettle at present, so a hat-trick of group victories could be on the cards for him at Goodwood this Saturday. The first leg is in the feature Celebration Mile (14:05), where Beat The Bank looks a worthy favourite to land the Group 2 spoils.
The four-year-old son of Paco Boy is on a 50 per cent strike rate for his handler after winning five of his 10 starts since joining the yard. Those victories include a three-length success over course and distance in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood meeting last year.
Beat The Bank benefited from a gap opening at just the right time here and he quickened through it to lead entering the final furlong before running on strongly to win. He then took the step up to this level in his stride when an even more impressive victor in the Joel Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
The gelding bolted up by five lengths and was then pitched in at the highest level on his final start of last season in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day. Ascot’s straight course doesn’t seem to suit Beat The Bank, as he’s never finished better than sixth on it in three career outings, but when switched to the round mile on his penultimate start he returned to winning ways.
After shaping as if needed the run on return to action in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, where he was beaten 12 lengths, he stripped fitter for the outing when a much closer 1 3/4 lengths sixth to Accidental Agent in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. There were excuses for Beat The Bank, but an ease in grade to this level in the Summer Mile at the Berkshire venue brought out a heroic performance from him.
Jockey Oisin Murphy was waiting to room and drove his mount between rivals inside the final furlong to take up the running with 100 yards to go. Beat The Bank had the attentions of tenacious French import Lord Glitters, however, and held on bravely to deny him by a neck in a really gutsy display.
He has since finished a respectable 2 1/4 lengths fifth to Lightning Spear in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes over course and distance, but hit the rail approaching halfway and that put paid to his chances. Beat The Bank is the top rated in the Celebration Mile line-up on a mark of 117 that he has certainly earned and in fact won off 1lb higher.
As his exploits set a clear standard in this far easier assignment and he has 3lb and upwards on the field on official ratings, the only real dangers are the three-year-olds who get weight-for-age. Altyn Orda also gets an additional 3lb sex allowance as a filly, but the clear form pick is Beat The Bank and he is taken to land a third career Group 2 over her and Nyaleti, who is on the comeback trail for Mark Johnston.Maid Up can March to victory tooIt’s disappointing to see just two rivals oppose three-time fillies’ handicap winner Maid Up in the Group 3 March Stakes (15:50) over 1m 6f later on the Goodwood card. She is rated 4lb superior to the couple of colts and the beneficiary of a 5lb sex allowance, so is well-in on the boys here and thus also rates a solid bet to win.
The second of Maid Up’s handicap successes came at this venue over 1m 4f where, after being held-up by regular rider Rob Hornby, this daughter of Mastercraftsman made headway over three out to take it up before the two marker. She then just had to be ridden and stayed on well to beat Love To Breeze by half-a-length.
After stepping up in class and winning again by a neck at Ascot, connections decided to give Maid Up a go in group company and she was a desperately unlucky loser to rapidly improving filly Pilaster, who got up in the final stride to deny her last time out. That was in the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes over course and distance at Glorious Goodwood.
Going down by a short-head was evidence Maid Up is well worth a crack at this level and she outran her odds of 16/1 to make the frame. Although the assessor has had his say and put her rating up 19lb for that performance, this is an ease in grade and her two opponents have claims of their own.
John Gosden’s Ben Vrackie bolted up by 11 lengths in a class 5 novice stakes contest on the all-weather at Lingfield over 1m 4f last time out and is unexposed, but he has 10lb to find on Maid Up based on his opening mark and gives her 5lb on the race terms.
Cypress Creek, meanwhile, represents Aidan O’Brien, so is respected but the Irish trainer is going through a sticky patch with his runners. Despite these well-connected opponents, Maid Up rates the next best bet behind our NAP in Beat The Bank among the Celebration Mile betting tips on a day of decent competitive action at Goodwood. Look Around the Prestige punt each-wayJockey Murphy has claims of a big-race double on a third top rated Balding trained horse on the card, courtesy of Look Around in the 7f Group 3 Prestige Stakes for juvenile fillies (14:40). This daughter of Kingman has won two of her three starts to earn an opening mark of 101 following a victory at Listed level last time out.
After finishing sixth on her debut at Doncaster, Look Around showed the benefit of that experience when a length winner on the all-weather over this trip at Kempton. She pulled out more close home when under pressure and was going on again when hitting the line.
This gave connections the confidence to step her up in class and tackle a Listed race at Sandown. Look Around made all, stretching on from two out and only had to be ridden inside the final furlong for an unchallenged 1 1/4 lengths victory over the re-opposing Ajrar and she looked value for more than that winning margin.
It was a taking display and, although more exposed at the trip that some of her rivals in this, there is every reason to believe Look Around can make another step up in grade. The biggest danger may lie in the once raced Antonia De Vega, who missed the Denford Stakes at Newbury last week for Ralph Beckett and has two Group 1 entries.
With in-form Murphy again in the saddle, however, Look Around should be making the frame at least and is a value bet to land the hat-trick. That is why she features among our recommended bets on Celebration Mile day at Goodwood.Your Next Bet
